Abstract

To the editor: We wish to report having identified hepatitis antigen in a pleural effusion complicating a case of hepatitis. Pleural effusion, as a complication of hepatitis, was first reported in 1971 (1). Later, a series of patients with hepatitis was reported in which it was again shown that hepatitis may rarely be complicated and even preceded by a pleural effusion (2). Hepatitis antigen has been reported in urine, saliva, bile, feces, semen, breast milk, tears, vaginal secretions, and sneeze droplets, but never before in pleural fluid (3).

A 40-year-old Latin American man presented with a complaint of anorexia and